We were all hoping to have a normal school year. We are off to a fantastic start in the classrooms, traffic is improving, and kids are acclimating, However, we cannot ignore the fact that the COVID-19 virus has refused to go away and we are again experiencing a surge in positive cases.
In fact, we are extremely concerned with the number of positive cases we are seeing in schools. At this time we have 24 positive cases among students and staff. Half of these have tested positive in the past few days and the evidence indicates that the virus is being spread at school and/or school related activities.
We are much more limited this year with regard to safety measures that we are allowed to take to mitigate the spread of the virus. Masks cannot be required, although many schools have decided to challenge that order, and we have also been told we cannot exclude a child who has been a close contact exposure to a positive COVID-19 case.
We can no longer require masks at school and we can no longer require close contacts, staff or students, to quarantine. At this rate, we are in jeopardy of not being able to stay open. If we want to keep our community safe and our kids in school, we must all do our part to stop the spread of the virus.
As of today:
If an individual is positive for COVID-19, they cannot come to school. This is not optional.
The following require personal responsibility. Please take the following steps to slow the spread and keep our kids in school.
1. Stay home if you are sick,
2. If you have had a close contact exposure, it is recommended you stay home, closely self-monitor for symptoms, and consult your healthcare provider for additional guidance, and
3. Wear a mask to help prevent transmission of the virus
We are not requiring masks, but we strongly encourage you to wear one. Not only did we see a lower transmission of COVID-19 within schools, but we also saw almost no flu or other common illnesses last year.
If your child has been exposed to COVID-19, please consult your healthcare provider and closely monitor for symptoms. CDC still recommends a minimum 7-day quarantine with a negative test on day 6 or 7 or 10-day quarantine with no symptoms, and best practice is a 14-day quarantine.
Please, if you are sick, stay home and notify the school about the absence. COVID-19 testing results locally show about a 20% positivity rate. That means you have a 1 in 5 chance of something that seems like allergies actually being COVID-19.
Although schools are not being funded for virtual school this year, we ask that you contact your child’s campus as soon as possible if they are absent to make arrangements for school work through Schoology.
I don’t like having to deliver news like this at any time, and definitely not at the start of the school year. However, if we learned anything during the last 18 months it is that our students and staff are resilient, our community is strong, and we can take the steps necessary to slow the spread.
Stay positive-Test negative-Stay Tiger Strong
Dr. Eddie Bland
Superintendent of Schools
Snyder ISD